CLOSUP Student Working Paper Series Number 51 November 2018
Michigan’s 3rd Grade Reading Law: A Harmful Solution to the Literacy Crisis
Alexandrea Somers, University of Michigan
This paper is available online at http://closup.umich.edu Papers in the CLOSUP Student Working Paper Series are written by students at the University of Michigan. This paper was submitted as part of the Fall 2018 course PubPol 475-750 Michigan Politics and Policy, that is part of the CLOSUP in the Classroom Initiative. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy or any sponsoring agency
Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy University of Michigan
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Alexandrea Somers PubPol 475-003 November 27, 2018 Michigan’s 3rd Grade Reading Law: A Harmful Solution to the Literacy Crisis Introduction Only one in two Michigan 3rd graders were proficient in reading at the end of 2015, according to the M-STEP, and this number is only decreasing (EdTrust Midwest, 2017). The MSTEP is the Michigan Student Test of Education Assessment, an annual standardized test for Michigan 3rd through 8th grade students intended to accurately measure student learning and achievement. Michigan is one of the few states with decreasing reading performance, which has sparked concern among stakeholders like researchers and policymakers who believe that students must stay at on grade level to be ready for lives as engaged citizens. In 2016, the Michigan State Legislature passed HB 4822, also known as the 3rd grade reading law. This law created three major changes. First, effective immediately were two guaranteed years of funding to provide literacy coaches across the state. Over the two years, $80 million was spread across the state to encourage hiring more reading specialists. Second, the 3rd grade reading law created IRIPs, an Individualized Reading Intervention Plan for every student at-risk of scoring below proficiency on the year-end 3rd grade M-STEP.The IRIP is a twenty page template that teachers are expected to fill out for their students, which details a plan for how they will work with the student and family to bring the student up to grade level. Finally, and most disputed, is mandatory retention for all 3rd grade students who perform more than a grade level below on the M-STEP. Unless a studenth has an IEP, an Individual Education Plan for a
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learning disability, or is exempted by their school superintendent, every underperforming student will be held back. Mandatory retention will not help Michigan students read better. Instead, it raises the stakes on the M-STEP without providing adequate resources to catch students up. In a educational system that does not effectively address the needs of low-income, minority, and English Language Learning students, holding them back as if they have the same opportunity as high SES students whose scores are also decreasin is unfairg. Mandatory retention is not an effective solution to low 3rd grade reading achievement. In fact, I argue that it is harmful, especially in the long run. I will discuss how the law came into existence in Michigan and compare it to other states. Based on this analysis, I recommend three different approaches to increasing reading achievement among Michigan students that do not rely on mandatory retention.
Literature Review Researchers that study the effects of retention provide mixed arguments, but ultimately find no positive long term effects. Scientist from the RAND Corporation, Nailing Xia and Sheily Kirby, systematically compiled more than 170 studies about the effects of retention on students since the 1980s. They focused on 91 strong studies to understand what the internally valid literature shared in common. The paper, “Retained Students in Grade� found that on average, retention does not benefit students and makes them more likely to drop out. Retained students were less likely to go to college because any performance improvement after being retained is usually short-term (Xia and Kirby, 2009).
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The literature that studies the short term effects of retention expresese concern over the increased likelihood of continued low achievement if students are socially promoted. “Socal promotion� is when underperforming students are moved to the next grade to avoid the stigma and loss of peer relationships that would reslt if they repeated the grade. Some researchers are worried that social promotion prompts undesired outcomes like higher high school dropout rates and lower enrollment in postsecondary education. The worries of social promotion are small in comparison to the harms of retention which mulitiples the same concerns. Education research Dr. Andrew J. Martin found that the harms of retention include reduced homework completetion and achievement and increased absences and misbehavior (Martin, 2011). Researchers have analyzed how retention further harms their educational attainment.
Michigan Context When HB 4228 was voted on in the house, every Democratic representative voted against it. With less local officials selecting their schools as better, there is more at stake. Most urban centers with higher numbers of racial groups, English Language Learners, and concentrations of economically disadvantaged elect Democratic local officials and Legislature representatives. They did not want to pass a harmful bill. Yet, their superminiorty made their vote powerless. On the other hand, every Republican representative voted for it. The unanimous party line divide questions if the representatives voted to truly represent their community or to cater to party lines. The Michigan State Legislature’s education policy does not match the communities it is supposed to represent. Michigan schools are predominantly local institutions however, items like the 3rd grade reading law have a top-down approach. While lawmakers in the Legislature are worried about aggregate performance, local officials have a specific student population to serve.
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According to the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) that provides, now, annual surveys to every elected local government official in Michigan about their perspective on the current state of affairs, the majority of local government officials viewed their elementary schools as average or better than the crisis the Legislature presented. In figure 1A, the local officials were asked “In your opinion, how do students in your community compare with others in the state in terms of elementary school achievement?� and the results were separated by a three point party affiliation.
Figure 1A. MPPS Spring 2012 Percentage Response by Party Affiliation
*Respondants who did not indicate a party affiliation were removed. Source: Michigan Publib Policy Survey Data Tables 2012
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The figure shows that in 2012, local government officials were on average not concerned about their elementary schools. And for good reason. In 2012, the state was still using the MEAP test, the pre cursor to the M-STEP that had lower standards. Tests scores were not a concern with the MEAP test. Nevertheless, democrats had a higher proportion of average responses while more republican local officials said their schools were doing better than average. So, when the standards change, the ones impacted the most are the schools with average performance because higher standards means average is no longer good enough.
Figure 2B. MI School Data 3rd Grade Student Assessment Performance Trend 2012-2017
Source: Michigan Department of Education and CEPI. MI School Data. mischooldata.org
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The M-STEP has changed the understanding of achievement in Michigan. As soon as the No Child Left Behind act ended in 2014, the state implemented a new test that was more rigorous. However, that showed a lower competence in both math and English language arts. Under the MEAP test, approximately two thirds of 3rd graders were proficicent. With the MSTEP, a quarter or less or proficient. And we are trending downward. This is alarming for any state, however in order to address this, there must be high-impact, effective interventions that promote learning for every Michigan student. In reality, the 3rd grade reading law is arbitraty. The Michigan Department of Education has not yet set a cut off point for the M-STEP that would make students get left behind. According the Michigan State University researchers, more than 800 Michigan 3rd graders are retained each year. The 3rd grade reading law, depending on the cut off point, could retain over 45,000 students, 22,000 students, 17,000 or over 3,000. If the cut off is decided according to how the law is written, it would be 45,000 students, which accounts for 43.85% of Michigan 3rd graders (Winke & Zheng, 2018). That would drastically change infrasture and change school funding. Spending an extra year of school for 45,000 students means the general school fund would be divided amoung 45,000 students again and would shrink one of the lowest per pupil expenditures in the country. Mandatory retention will harm not only Michigan 3rd graders, but the entire K12 education system.
Interstate Comparison California was the first to adopt mandatory retention in 1998. However, students could be exempted through a teacher recommendations (Weyer, 2018). Teachers are very accessible to the parents compared to the Michigan law that only allows for exemptions based on superintendent
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recommendation. More information is needed to access this person. Michigan has a trend of consolidating school districts to create bigger ones, and districts in large cities already have structural barriers for parents to get in contact with a superintendent with whom they rarely interact with. While California is the first state to adopt the law, a conversation with a teacher with whom the student interacts with frequently and the smaller scope of the teacher allows more students to be advocated for. Florida set the groundwork for mandatory retention acros the country. While California was the first to adopt it, Florida’s strict rules were the foundation for many states that have adopted similar policies. The short term benefits that conservative education reform professors, Jay Greene and Marcus Winter, found helped popularized the idea (Greene & Winter, 2002). This study neglected to share its weak generalizability. As well of use of pressure of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) allowed for republican representatives in more than two thirds of the states with the same language. Then on the floor of the respective state legislature states had different slightly different requirements, some had optional retention, some had more exemptions (Workman, 2014). As consequence, locally controlled schools are made to abide by top-down policy from Florida policy that treats its finding as generalizable. This sets a dangerous pattern as ALEC has passed many bills in multiple states in a similar manner. It’s dangerous because state politics can easily become national politics that are not representing the needs of the people representatives are speaking on the behalf of. What is ironic is that while Florida laid the foundation, it had its mandatory retention went to court in 2017 as the result of a court case (Postal, 2017). The illegal and harmful consequences of not only implementing the policy, but inconsistent adoption harm even more students. Compared to Michigan, Florida's law is very strict. However, the lawsuit can signal the potential consequences of mandatory
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rentention in Michigan since it is a large state serving lots of kids. Michigan residents do not desire a policy designed for Florida. In 2012, the Ohio State Legislature passed their own version of a mandatory retention bill knows as the reading guarantee. Ohio is comparable to Michigan in a few regards. It is a state that neighbors Michigan, had a moderate republican governor sign in the bill like Michigan, and has a few large urban centers that contain large populations of low-income, minority students as well as rural areas. Laurie Banks found that the law did not change achievement. It changed after Ohio administered a new standardized test, for which the state partnered with the American Institute for Research, and then achievement declined (Banks, 2018). Ohio is one example of how mandatory retention is not beneficial for students’ achievement. Yet, they still have to face the consequences that are tied to retention.
Recommendation The education system in Michigan is failing its students. It is not just because teachers and parents are not working hard enough. But a solution like mandatory retention acts like it is. I recommend that the state of Michigan tackles the decline of achievement through a wholistic approach that address structually problems in the institution. If education is a true priority, they must make decisions that intervene in the acts that perpetuate low achievement. Thus, I recommend that the Michigan education system addresses early literacy with preschool, stops equating the M-STEP as an indicator of learning, and supports teachers so that they have the energy and resources to ensure student learning. I recommend that reading interventions are targeted earlier than 3rd grade. While the Annie E. Casey Foundation report says that 3rd grade is an early warning, it is not early enough
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(Fiester, 2010). By 3rd grade, students are expected reading fluently; if a student is not there it is costly to fill in the gap especially in a short amount of time. Thus, it’s important to prevent reading deficits when the disparities are smaller. The easiest area for identification is preschool. A educational psychologists found statistically significant gains in achievement when schools focused on intensive reading interventions earlier, as in first grade, compared to second and third (Carlisle, Cortina, & Zheng, 2010). In 3rd grade, it is too late. Retention does not have long term impacts compared to starting at some of the first years of schooling. I recommend high-quality, universal preschool because it is a proactive mechanism that aids students with an additional year of schooling. Retaining students makes them repeat the same curriculum and after a few years, has no gains in performance (Xia and Sheila, 2009). So, if Michigan adopted universal preschool in lieu of retaining 3rd grade students, a high quality program would proactively give vulnerable students the skills to thrive early on and in the long run. Educational psychologist found that intentional play in preschool gave low-income students the pre-literacy skills that had long-term benefits to reading achievement (Nicolopoulou, Cortina, Ilgaz, Cates, & de Så, 2015). Thus, intentional preschool programs for all students, but especially those without access could reduce the gap in reading deficits. One of the most successful highquality pre-school programs occurred in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The Highschope Perry School Study was effectively implemented to support students at both school and home. It decreased entry to jail, increased test scores, and post secondary enrollment (Scheweinhart, Montie, Xiang, Barnett, Belfield, & Nores, 2005). This kind of proactive work would require great coordination in the state, but if entities like the Legislature and the Michigan Department of Education really wanted to increase reading achievement at crucial grades, access to high quality preschool and proactively supporting students needs to be a priority.
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I recommend curriculum that coincides with the M-STEP. Testing is intended to reflect content learned to provide an accurate measurement. If a class has a majority of students who are behind in a subject and tested on materials that they have never seen, then achievement will be low and inaccurate because it is not a test of what they learned. Some might argue that the purpose of the standardized test is to compare all students, but it structurally depends on a proportion of students never reaching proficiency. Instead they depend on student’s low socioeconomic status household and school setting is not conducive for standardized test achievement. For example, English Language Learners would be severly punished. While they represent approximately 10% of Michigan 3rd graders, it is projected that they would have over 40% of them retained with the accurate cut off (Winke & Zheng, 2018). In this regard, the MSTEP is not accounting for the root causes that make students not proficient. The comparison of students has led to the unjust, inequitable 3rd grade reading law that will further harm students by making it more likely that they will drop out of high school and discourage college enrollment (Xia and Sheila, 2009). Thus, standardized test must carefully choose the consequences of its high-stakes test. Without the proper system that treats students fairly according to their surroundings. Penfield analyzes how retention as a consequence for a standardized test goes against the established rules for them (Penfield, 2010). Thus, there is gaps in the actions Legislature policy-makers make and what is researched and decided on as the established intentions. I recommend a corresponding curriculum in order to accurately test learning and knowledge. I do not argue for a standardized curriculum across the state because that can cause many issues with a locally-controlled entity. Instead, teachers should have resources to make a curriculum that corresponds to the test so that the materials are taught throughout the year and the M-STEP can accurate test knowledge that the students have learned.
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This will only work well with less disparity between students which high-quality universal preschool can alleviate. Curriculum must match the test and if Michigan can unify the school system to prepare for the M-STEP, that will aid in student achievement. I recommend that every student is treated equitably. If schools expect students to enter the school year with a certain number of words in their vocabulary, decided on understandings of the word, and uniform behavior, schools much work to fill in the gaps for students who are not at the same expectation. One area to create equity for students is to fill in gaps of human capital. Student with low socioeconomic status are the most effected by a law like mandatory retention and would be punished for being poor. Willingham discusses that teaching students emotional control, appropriate social interactions with authority, time management, and more can really help students get the soft skills necessary for navigating the society that are honed well in high SES households. Equity would mean using teaching time to also reinforce practice of societal expectations. I recommend that proficiency standards are met with effective researched interventions that allow children to succeed. It’s one thing to have high standards, and equally as important to have to tools to meet them (Willingham, 2012). Currently, the 3rd grade reading law has one— meet the standard. The tools like individualized reading plans and small increases in literacy coaches are not getting to the core issue of the Michigan public school system. In order to reach the high standards, literacy coaches must increase a signfiiant amount. In the third grade reading law, there was enough funding for mayb 1-2 more literacy coaches per school. In a district like Detroit Public Schools Community District where less than 10% of students are proficient, two literacy coaches in overcrowded, short-staffed schools will not make a meaningful difference. Thus, I recommend that each classroom of Michigan schools gets one literacy coach which
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effectively creates access to two adults in a classroom. One effective policy to boost achievement is to reduce class size. While it is hard to find 50% to 100% more school space, it is feasible to increase the amount of adults working in a space. I recommend more ways to decrease the burden off of the teacher. Teachers are less effective with high stress, fatigue, and spaces to share their frustration (Herman, Hickmon-Rosa, & Reinke, 2017). Thus, teachers must be better resources to first take care of themselves so that they can take care of their students. I recommend that teacher aides are implemented in the K12 school system. An aide will help complete tasks that take lots of time in a teachers day and contribute to burn out. I also recommend that teachers are better compensated for the long hours they work, not only in salary, but in other incentives like travel, tax exemptions, and consumer benefits. As the service careers are more popularized, self-care must be ingrained in the culture of the workplace. On college campus, there are little things like sun lamps and massage chairs. What if those same things were in teacher lounges across the state. Tools that alleviate burnout can be small or large, but if they are present, they commnicate a message of appreciation. In a time where teachers across the country have been on strike because of unfair working conditions, it is important that their needs are met. Care for teachers will translate into better performance that increases the mood of all in the classroom.
Conclusion Overall, I recommend that mandatory retention is repealed in Michigan. This intervention does not have enough research to say it causes increases in student achievement. It is not a policy that is neutral, instead, it will harm too many students and continue to sink Michigan's poor performance in high school graduation and bachelor’s degree attainment compared to other
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states. While other states have adopted a similar policy it has only increased the stakes on standardized test. Michigan’s adoption of the policy will not increase student achievement. If that is a sincere goal, then there needs to be more proactive measures taken. Students must have access to high quality preschool. Students must take tests that match their curriculum. Teachers must get the resources to focus on teaching. Without these mechanisms, achievement cannot be expected to increase.
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References Banks, L. A. (2018). Understanding implementation, student outcomes, and educational leadership related to ohio's third grade reading guarantee (Order No. 10760346). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (2019962673). Retrieved from http://proxy.lib.umich.edu/login?url=https://search-proquestcom.proxy.lib.umich.edu/docview/2019962673?accountid=14667 Carlisle, J. F., Cortina, K. S., & Zeng, J. (2010). Reading achievement in Reading First schools In Michigan. Journal of Literacy Research, 42(1), 49-70. Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy. Michigan Public Policy Survey Data Tables. Retrieved from: http://closup.umich.edu/michigan-public-policy-survey/mpps-datatables.php. EdTrust MidWest (2017). Michigan ed round up – Sept. 5. The Education Trust Midwest Post. Retrieved from: https://midwest.edtrust.org/2017/09/05/mich-ed-roundup-september-5/. Fiester, L. (2010). Early Warning! Why Reading by the End of Third Grade Matters. KIDS COUNT Special Report. Annie E. Casey Foundation. Retrieved from: https://www.aecf.org/resources/early-warning-why-reading-by-the-end-of-third-gradematters/. Greene, J. P., & Winters, M. A. (2007). Revisiting grade retention: An evaluation of Florida's test-based promotion policy. Education Finance and Policy, 2(4), 319-340. Retrieved from: https://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1162/edfp.2007.2.4.319 Herman, K. C., Hickmon-Rosa, J. E., & Reinke, W. M. (2018). Empirically derived profiles of
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teacher stress, burnout, self-efficacy, and coping and associated student outcomes. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 20(2), 90-100. https://doiorg.proxy.lib.umich.edu/10.1177/1098300717732066 Hernandez, D. J. (2011). Double jeopardy: how third-grade reading skills and poverty influence high school graduation. Annie E. Casey Foundation. Retrieved from: https://www.fcd-us.org/double-jeopardy-how-third-grade-reading-skills-and-povertyinfluence-high-school-graduation/ Martin, A. J. (2011). Holding back and holding behind: grade retention and students’ nonacademic and academic outcomes. British Educational Research Journal, 37(5), 739763. Retrieved from: https://doi-org.proxy.lib.umich.edu/10.1080/01411926.2010.490874 MI School Data. Student Assesment Grade 3-8:Performance Level Third. Retrieved from: https://www.mischooldata.org/DistrictSchoolProfiles2/AssessmentResults/AssessmentGr adesPerformance.aspx Nicolopoulou, A., Cortina, K. S., Ilgaz, H., Cates, C. B., & de Sá, A. B. (2015). Using a narrative-and play-based activity to promote low-income preschoolers’ oral language, emergent literacy, and social competence. Early childhood research quarterly, 31, 147162. Penfield, R. D. (2010). Test-based grade retention: Does it stand up to professional standards for fair and appropriate test use?. Educational Researcher, 39(2), 110-119. Retrieved from: https://www-jstor-org.proxy.lib.umich.edu/stable/27764563?pqorigsite=summon&seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents. Postal, L. (2017). Florida appeals court overturns 3rd-grade retention, test ruling. Orlando
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Sentinel. Retrieved from: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/schoolzone/os-third-grade-retention-appeals-court-ruling-20170307-story.html. Schweinhart, L. J., Monti, J., Xiang, Z., Barnett, W. S., Belfield, C., & Nores, M. (2005). The High/Scope Perry Preschool Study through age 40: summary conclusions, and frequently asked questions. Ypsilanti, MI: Highscope. Retrieved from: http://nieer.org/wpcontent/uploads/2014/09/specialsummary_rev2011_02_2.pdf. Sprouse, M. L. (2017). The consequential validity of the M-STEP and third-grade retention. Language Arts Journal of Michigan, 32(2), 10. Retrieved from: https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2140&context=lajm Weyer, M. (2018). A look at the third grade reading retention policies. National Conference of State Legislators. Retrieved from: http://www.ncsl.org/research/education/a-look-atthird-grade-reading-retention-policies.aspx Willingham, D. T. (2012). Ask the cognitive scientist: why does family wealth affect learning?. American Educator, 36(1), 33-39. Winke, P., & Zhang, X. (2018). How a third-grade reading retention law will affect ELLs in Michigan, and a call for research on child ELL reading development. TESOL Quarterly. Workman, E. (2014). Third-grade reading policies. Education Commission of the States. Retrieved from: http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/01/16/44/11644.pdf. Xia, N., & Kirby, S. N. (2009). Retaining students in grade: A literature review of the effects of retention on students' academic and nonacademic outcomes. RAND. Retrieved from: https://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR678.html Appendix.
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Figure 1A MPPS Spring 2012 Percentage Response by Party Affiliation
*Respondants who did not indicate a party affiliation were removed. Source: Michigan Publib Policy Survey Data Tables 2012
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Figure 1B. MPPS Fall 2009 Percentage Response by Party Affiliation
*Respondants who did not indicate a party affiliation were removed. Source: Michigan Publib Policy Survey Data Tables 2009
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Figure 2A. MI School Data 3rd Grade Student Assessment Performance Trend 2008-2013
Source: Michigan Department of Education and CEPI. MI School Data. mischooldata.org
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Figure 2B. MI School Data 3rd Grade Student Assessment Performance Trend 2012-2017
Source: Michigan Department of Education and CEPI. MI School Data. mischooldata.org
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Figure 2C. MI School Data 3rd Grade Student Assessment Performance Trend 2013-2018
Source: Michigan Department of Education and CEPI. MI School Data. mischooldata.org